There's a lot of lobbying against it from the car companies. Perhaps that's why it didn't happen last year.
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Saving AM Radio
- Thread starter BruceB
- Start date
There's a lot of lobbying against it from the car companies. Perhaps that's why it didn't happen last year.
But my estimate is that something approaching half of them only exist to sustain translators, and they would likely disappear instantly were rules and regulations to allow permanent for translators and the deletion of unwanted AMs.
In the ratings, it appears that around 10% of listening goes to AM stations, but I am skeptical because so many AMs simulcast on translators but receive rating credits for the licensed for radio station. Nielsen does not consider a translator to be a full station and list any translator, listening under the call letters of the associated AM station.
Or, quite simply they do not know the reality of AM listening today.
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It it is an important resource that people choose to use, they will make sure they have it in their cars so there is no reason to mandate it. If on the other hand few care about it, it will be unnecessary. I have a CD player. I bought it because they don't put it in cars any longer. Few other people bought one because they don't care, much like they don't care about AM radio. Please don't go into the AM is important...national emergency and all the BS the NAB is trying to make people with cell phones, internet, FM and Satellite believe.
AM is vastly superior to any other audio distribution system in the case of emergencies. FM is limited by the horizon and the viability of tall towers in disasters. Cellular is generally not built to last for full days of emergency service after a disaster, counting on shorter duration, batteries, and generators in some cases. Television is not a good Emergency medium, because nearly nobody has a portable TV that employs the current standards and the few of those sets that do exist use rechargeable batteries limiting their usability. The Internet has the same problem as cellular.
But all these arguments fail because so few people have battery operated AM radios anymore and even fewer would think to use them if they even had them.
During a major disaster where the commercial AC power is knocked out there wouldn't be the "noise" floor that mess with AM. Kind of like driving out west 50 or 100 miles from one of the interstates. Of course ground conductivity comes into play. AM reception really improved when GA Power buried most of its power lines in my town.
In case anyone hadn't noticed, one of Trump's highest priorities is to amplify the influence of his far-right media accomplices. Some have already been given positions in his administration, and reporters from the most extreme rightwing media outlets are now replacing traditional media outlets in the Pentagon press corps.
With conservative talk stations dominating the band, AM radio is a major part of the pro-Trump media ecosystem. That makes it more likely than ever that we'll see a government mandate for including it in vehicles. It's true that President Musk might object to such a rule as it would impact Tesla, but I still see Trump's determination to control the media and amplify right-wing talking points as the overriding factor here.
Even though you might not expect AM radio to rank very high on the Oval Office priority list, I don't think some people here understand how important it likely is to Trump. It's possible that an exception could be carved out for Tesla if it should come down to Trump vs Musk on this, but in any case my money is on the Sean Hannity for Everyone mandate happening. Republicans in Congress will do what they are told by Trump, and they'll probably push it through with Democratic support by claiming it's all about emergencies.
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I agree with all of that. I'll ad that in more urban areas, cell phones will bring needed information. Even with power issues, cell towers have battery backups to last a certain number of hours. In a extreme long lasting situation hopefully FEMA would keep the cell towers charged. In rural areas, you might have an argument for AM, but most of those stations are not even staffed and I have to imagine the distant big city AM is not going to send a constant flow of information directed to the farmland of Iowa. For many current broadcasters AM is an unnecessary expense they put up with to feed their translator. If legislation is needed, it's to allow the translator to stay and the AM to cease. To keep AM alive because we might need it someday when every other communication fails, doesn't seem like a good investment. It's like keeping horses at the fire station incase the engines run out of diesel. I could happen, but probably won't.
The bill should also include keeping FM in vehicles, since the new Teslas come without BOTH AM and FM.
...but he wants to get rid of FEMA!
They can put it in, but they can't make anyone listen to it. My car has AM radio, I never use it. I don't think mandating AM radio in new vehicles would have much of an impact one way or the other on conservative talk ratings, as those who want it know where to find it, and those who don't want it aren't going to suddenly be converted to P1 listeners by the fact that their new Toyota has AM buried somewhere three menus deep in the in-car system.
I'd add that even if AM is somewhere in the infotainment system, many (perhaps most) people wouldn't think to use it.
Then I guess the local state controlled organization that replaced FEMA and will be closer to the problem to better handle the issue in a more effective and less expensive way will have to run down to the 7-11 and buy batteries. Geez. Now someone point out cell towers don't use that kind of battery. You too can show that you got me
Radio has nothing to do with politics (or any other commercial driven media). Radio responds to the wants of the potential listening base and responds. By doing so the stations can sell commercials to keep their business viable. If any liberal has a complaint, maybe they're the problem when it comes to amassing the number of listeners to make a format work. If the number was right, you'd see liberal talk stations pop up all over.
Once again, the AM in every car is not a consumer mandate. It's a manufacturer mandate. Very different thing. Consumers don't have to do a thing.
I could give you a list of government mandates that pre-date 2001, but we don't have enough space.
The broadcasting industry lives under constant government regulation that includes requiring AM radio to provide emergency information. That regulation is completely useless and unnecessary if there are no radio receivers.
and just as useless if we add the expense of requiring AM radio in all cars, electric and useful ones, if no one actually listens to it and no one at the automated AM station is actually there to provide the information you require for your imaginary emergency. Now do the thing where you quote every emergency since the birth of Marconi and show how Amplitude Modulation saved the day and countless lives up and down the kilocycles.
The expense is less than $1 to a manufacturer. They're not cutting AM to save money. This is not a consumer mandate. Cars without AM won't be cheaper.
The emergency information the AM station provides comes from the government. It automatically overrides local programming. No personnel needed.
Why do broadcasters object? We have to pay for EAS, we have to test it, we have to interrupt our paid programming with free emergency information.
I can't help you with the money the government makes you waste on nonsense, but I do not wish to spend the extra dollar to out an AM radio in my next dependable fossil fuel vehicle. It is principle more than money. If you help me get the AM radio legislation killed off, I will donate that entire dollar to a charity if your choice
Probably not even 1¢. Unless there is a physical redesign (for example, the change of a circuit or the removal of an antenna), my understanding is that all that needs done to re enable AM is the flip of a software bit or two.
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